350. If Spiritism, as has been announced, is to lead to the transformation of humanity, it can be only through the amelioration of the masses, which can only come gradually, and one after another, by the amelioration of individuals. What does it matter to believe in the existence of spirits, if the belief makes us no better, no more benevolent, and no more indulgent to our kind, no more humble, no more patient in adversity ? Of what use is it for the miser to be a spiritist, if he still continues a miser ? for the, proud, if he is always full of himself? for the envious, if he is always jealous ? All men may believe in the manifestations, and yet humanity remain stationary ; but these are not the designs of God. All spiritist societies should tend toward the providential end, collecting around them all who partake of the same sentiments ; then there will be union, sympathy, fraternity, and not a vain and puerile antagonism of self-love, of words rather than things ; then they would be strong and powerful, be cause they would rest on a firm foundation, good for all ; then they would be respected, and would impose silence on foolish ridicule, because they would speak in the name of evangelical morality, respected by all.
Such is the path into which we are bound to conduct Spiritism. The flag we bear aloft is that of Christian and humanitary Spiritism, around which we are happy already to see so many men rally, in all parts of the globe, because they understand that here is the anchor of safety, the safeguard of public order, the signal of a new era for humanity. We call upon all spiritist societies to concur in this grand work ; that from one end of the world to the other, they may stretch out the fraternal hand, and enclose the evil in an inextricable network.
